About the Church of Christ
People often ask, "What is the church of Christ?" There are many that have not heard of us or if they have, then they do not know very much about us.
While we have no intention of trying to cover everything that we believe the Bible teaches, we hope within this tract to provide an introduction to the church of Christ.
It is our hope and our prayer that we will provoke enough interest that you would want to learn more. In Acts 17:11 we are told concerning the Bereans; "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
We hope that you too, will embrace that nobleness that was observed in the Bereans by searching the scriptures.
We also would like to take the opportunity to invite you to our worship services and become better acquainted with us and our desire to make the Bible our only rule of faith.
THE NAME
Quite often, people see the name church of Christ and think of us as "just another denomination." However, this is not the case.
We believe that the Bible teaches us that the divisiveness of denominationalism is against Gods will. When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church he condemned this very practice (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
Jesus prayed the night before his crucifixion that they that believe in Him be one, (John 17:20-23). Further the Bible teaches us that there is only one body (Ephesians 4:4) and continued study shows us that body is the church (Colossians 1:18), and that the church is His body (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Since we read in Matthew 16:18 that Jesus Christ was going to build His church and as that church is his body, the name church of Christ does not refer to "simply another denomination," but is rather a name that denotes who the church belongs to. It is also a name that we can find scriptural authorization for (Romans 16:16).
THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENT
The church of Christ has no creed, confession (or articles) of faith, nor constitution. We believe that the Bible alone is sufficient to guide men in religious matters.
II Peter 1:3 tells us that God has provided all things that are necessary to life and Godliness through the knowledge of Him that has called us by His glory and virtue. The Him referred to is Jesus Christ. The question of course is where has God given us all things that are necessary to life and Godliness.
The answer is to be found within the Bible itself. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. John writes in his gospel account that there were many other things that Jesus did that were not written in this book, "but these are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life in His name" (John 20:30-31). Jesus further tells us that it his words which will judge us in the final day (John 12:48-50).
Then Paul tells us the importance of scripture if we are to lead spiritual lives in Christ. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." -- 2 Tim 3:16-17
Since scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness and is further able to make man perfect (complete), thoroughly furnishing him for every good work, then there is simply no need for anything else to guide us in these matters. God, by inspiring holy men to write down His will for us, has given us everything we need to guide us. Any thing more is going beyond God's word and is unscriptural (II John 9).